we stayed at the Hampton Inn. Literally 4 blocks from the port (across the street from a park and government building). We had a rental car from Enterprise - about 4 blocks the other direction. Dropped off our car, they (Enterprise) drove us back to the hotel (could have walked easily!!) Checked out of the hotel, Walked a block, crossed the street, walked a couple of more blocks to the terminal building. Way Way WAY faster than driving and getting dropped off there. Very busy around the port on the road and parking / drop off areas. There was one other ship in port that day and it really was a mad house getting into the building and through security.
While we were trying to get into the building, the line kept growing. They tried to check cruise documents and passports (initial screening), but gave up on the looking at everyone's passports. Then dropping off checked luggage - the Celebrity ship people were to give their bags to the people on the right (building side),
DCL to the baggage handlers on the left (open "plaza" / dock between the ships. Lots of yelling and trying to make sure that your bags made it to the right place. No time for tipping the porters or anything. Then moving to get into the building - it appeared to be a waiting area to get into the queue for security. The people sitting down were on Celebrity and just as we got there - they got up en mass and headed into a security line. DCL people were to keep walking / getting into the security line, the Celebrity cruises in line were to go to the "waiting area". Mad House!!! Luckily they just opened 1 or 2 more x-ray machines and we were able to slip into a line that moved / jumped a lot. I think that they got some true Disney people to come and manage the queue
to make the process go better. Once through security, then "they" had to sort us by ship - DCL to one side and Celebrity to the other. Looked like the Celebrity people had to go and sit and wait again before checking in. We were shunted to the DCL set up and then things started looking "Normal" to us with the LOOONG line of CM's manning the check in stations. There were the three queues: first timer / sliver, Gold, Platinum / Concierge. We headed right towards the Platinum line. Were stopped to be given the health questionnaire. Only the person manning the First Time / Silver line had the Personal Navigators (found out later - had to go back to pick one up). No one was at the Platinum entrance, but as we approached the counter (no one was in front of us), the CM that was supposed to be working the entrance came up and had to check our paper work.
Check in itself was very easy. Had to have our security pictures taken again (but we were just on the Wonder 4 months ago!!) got our lanyard and KTTW card and headed off to the endless lines of chairs to wait for the boarding announcement. We really had a pretty short wait - less than 20 minutes before the "Family of the Cruise" was announced, then it was off to get into the line to get out of the building. My memory is a bit fuzzy here, but I think that we got our embarkation pictures taken before exiting the warehouse (or we had them taken after getting checked in
)
the next steps were to get out of the warehouse (cruise terminal) and into the "obstacle course" to get across the dock (no actual obstacles, but several corners). CM's were at various points across the dock, since crew and machinery had to get through the line to get to the other part of the dock to access the ship, so periodically, they CM's would hold up guest to allow equipment through. Then we made it to the scaffolding walkway that would take us up to deck three to board the ship. We tapped ourselves in, were announced and applauded by the staff and then was given a plethora of incorrect information by quite likely a long time CM that remembers the names of places and the way things worked Before the Dry dock. Since we were just on the Wonder 4 months prior, we new the drill and the Cruise Officially Began!!
And our luggage made in onboard OK (that was a concern with the way it was going outside the terminal!!)
So glad that our next cruise, we are the only ship scheduled to be in port that day!
It's hard to know the best / safe places without a trusted referral.
We are staying at the Horton Grand Hotel. But here are a few other places you may want to consider. Most expensive is the US Grant Hotel near the this Historic area. The Westin San Diego Gaslamp Quarter, Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter, The Marriott, Hard Rock Cafe, and The Horton Grand. There are plenty of hotels near the airport and on the Harbour as well.
